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Whither first ministers meetings?

Thu., Sept. 4, 2014

Re: Wynne decries lack of communication with Harper, Aug. 30

Wynne decries lack of communication with Harper, Aug. 30

It is a disgrace that Stephen Harper, the prime minister of our federation of provinces and territories, does not, refuses to or is afraid to provide leadership to bring the key partners – the premiers — together to work on the many common issues for all us Canadians. It should be a requirement of prime ministers to do so annually. Harper will not even meet with the premiers together when they request it.

Harper has been prime minster since 2006 and in that time has held a one-day conference that focused on only one agenda item – the economy — with a late 2008 and 2009 follow-up. That is it folks, in more than eight years. That is irresponsible for the head of our federation,

Pierre Trudeau held 18 federal-provincial meetings while he was prime minister. Brain Mulroney held 14 such meetings — mostly twi days each with multiple agenda items on matters affecting all Canadians. And Jean Chretien held seven such conferences between 1993 and 2003. Characteristically meetings were planned with all parties contributing to the agenda.

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It is time Canadians got outraged about this. It is time the federal cabinet and caucus got outraged by that. It is time Harper’s political party got outraged by this. He can no longer hide behind the statement that he meets with the premiers lots, though he does occasionally meet them one at a time.

Leadership requires courage, more doing that major job he was elected to do — head the federation, work with the members of the federation together, plan together, negotiate and mediate with the federation members, engage in group formal and informal relationship building, maintenance and celebration, and do it in the public view.

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